15 guides
Budget travel guides
Plain-English guides to travelling well on a budget. Prices and rules change often, so check current terms with each provider. We don't sell travel or earn commissions.
Plan and book
Timing, budgets, where to book and travel insurance.
- When to travel for less
Shoulder seasons, weekdays and flexible dates.
- Set a trip budget you'll actually stick to
Five categories, a buffer, and a monthly savings target.
- Booking sites or booking direct?
Compare on search sites, then check the direct price.
- Travel insurance: when it's worth it
Check what you already have before you buy.
Getting there
Flights, baggage, rental cars and road trips.
- Cheaper flights, without the tricks
Compare total cost, not the headline fare.
- Baggage fees and how to avoid them
Know the size limits before you pack.
- Rental cars: the real cost
Insurance, fuel, tolls and airport fees add up.
- Drive or fly? Road trip costs, counted
Gas is only part of the cost of driving.
Stay and eat
Lodging fees, food and free things to do.
- Hotel and rental fees, explained
Resort fees, cleaning fees, parking and taxes.
- Eat well on a travel budget
Food is the easiest daily cost to control.
- Free and low-cost things to do anywhere
Parks, free museum days, walking tours and more.
Money on the road
Cards and cash abroad, scams, refunds and phone plans.
- Cards and cash abroad
Avoid foreign transaction fees and always pay in local currency.
- Travel scams to know about
Fake rentals, fake booking sites and too-good deals.
- Flight cancellations, delays and refunds
Know your refund rights before you accept a voucher.
- Using your phone abroad without a huge bill
Plan before you land, not after the roaming text.